Mud Lake in Winter

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

The leaves are majorly past prime at this time. Many trees are empty. The oaks maintain a nice percentage of their purple toned leaves through the winter, so bare forest is not dominant here, yet. Of course the pines stay covered, and those late season brown needles are on the ground leaving a nice green set behind. The tamaracks are yellow, but still holding those needles. They are actually at the peak of color or getting just past.

The geese are in full gathering mode. The honking is getting louder down at the lake. They honk to attract other geese flying by forming bigger groups for the sudden decision to head out.

Docks and boats are moving to land. A few remain, but most of this is way beyond summer peak.

I have not noticed much fireplace odor yet this fall. With the summer storms plentiful, timber has been easy to find and get ready. Mostly it has been just outside the window. Nights have been fortyish some, but only limited below freezing temperatures. Frost killed then held back mostly.

There are still beautiful tree color combinations to be enjoyed. Just down the road is one, but that is only for small groups of mixed color trees now.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

We went to Itasca State Park today/ The weather looked super but turned cloudy, in line with most recent days. The leaves were just glorious any way. While those special odd purples and pinks were gone, and the northeast corner was pretty bare, many sections showed bright yellows and oranges mixed with longer stretches of pure yellow. Even the tamaracks were in full yellow needle.

Mixing in was the very obvious, widespread damage from the mid-summer Great Wind of 2016 (reference in humor to Vicar of Dilby scene). Trees were sawed off where they had blocked the road, but many then just sat piled on each other, left alone for a couple month period. Some were average,m but others were among the bigger, older trees of the preserved park. One has to assume that the Park’s policy is for the forest to remain in its natural state of forest recycling, or, financially and in terms of personnel the Park does not have the staff to take the massive amount of trees away. More will go as select trees still threaten to fall over the roadways, especially the Wilderness Drive.

We did note some twisted wood indicative of spinning winds. Most accounts and a look at the radar that night suggested straight line winds. The single direction fall of the down trees was notable.

about us...

From the shores of Fish Hook Bay, Mud Lake if you like, comes word on life in the woods by the water in beautiful Park Rapids, Minnesota. A place of quiet with easy access to the hustle and bustle of life. Follow us and the others sharing our woods and water.

We are the Meartz's: Paul, Sue, and Daisy the Black Lab (the scourge of the working squirrel) .